Trump deportation goal falls short, targets legal immigrants
3 Min Read
Trump’s 2025 immigration policy fuels mass deportations and legal immigrant fears, as experts warn of government overreach and wrongful arrests.
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Detainees wave and spell out SOS to a helicopter flying overhead, at US Immigration and Customs Enforcement's Krome Detention Center, Friday, July 4, 2025, in Miami, Florida. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)
Within his first six months, US President Trump declared a national emergency and prioritized mass deportations to fulfill campaign promises on border security. However, enforcement efforts have failed to allow documented immigrants into the country, immigration lawyer Elizabeth Krukova told RIA Novosti, speaking about Trump's immigration policy and its shortcomings.
Krukova criticized the administration for casting too wide a net, noting that individuals in lawful status, including those on F-1 student visas, humanitarian parole, Temporary Protected Status (TPS), or with pending asylum applications, have faced unexpected arrests and sudden status revocations.
“President Trump claimed to support legal immigration,” Krukova said, “yet many who followed legal channels are now terrified of deportation.” The current climate has reportedly led some lawful immigrants to voluntarily leave the country due to fear and instability.
Krukova called on the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to release transparent data detailing how many immigrants arrested in 2025 were actually in violation of the law. She emphasized that the administration’s immigration policy appears indiscriminate, often targeting non-criminal residents who have lived in the US peacefully for decades.
ICE data confirms Krukova's statements, showing that only 30% of those arrested had criminal convictions, while 44% had no criminal history at all. Several US citizens have also been mistakenly detained, revealing significant flaws in enforcement practices.
Public reaction and misconceptions
Many Americans have been shocked by images of deportation raids and reports of violence against non-criminal immigrants, according to Krukova. She says this stems from a widespread misconception, as most citizens are unaware of how many people reside in the US without a clear legal pathway to remain.
“Trump never promised a solution for undocumented long-term residents,” she said. “But the scale of enforcement has caught the public off guard.”
In fact, polls show that 54% of Americans, including 59% of independents, believe ICE has “gone too far.” Meanwhile, public support for mass deportations has fallen from 47% during the 2024 campaign to just 38% as of mid-2025.
Within his first 100 days, Trump’s Department of Homeland Security reported over 142,000 deportations, with that number climbing to 207,000 by June 2025. However, the administration's publicly stated goal of 1 million deportations annually remains out of reach. At the current pace of 452,000 removals per year, the government is achieving just 45% of its target. Some independent estimates suggest the actual number may be closer to 226,000, accounting for potential overreporting.
